Tour de Yorkshire coming to Wakefield in 2015

Mark Cavendish leads the cyclists down the Headrow at the Start of the Tour De France 6th July 2014 Picture by Simon Hulme

Published:10:47Monday 22 December 2014

Share this article

Wakefield has been chosen as one of the six start or finish lines for the first ever Tour de Yorkshire.

The cycling race will take place between May 1st and 3rd in 2015.

Bridlington, Leeds, Scarborough, Selby and York will also host a start or a finish to the race.

The Tour de Yorkshire is a new race being held by Amaury Sport Organisation (A.S.O.) and Welcome to Yorkshire (WTY).

During this summer more than three million people turned out to watch the Yorkshire stages of the Tour de France, which included Le Grand Depart.

And it has been estimated that the event brought in more than £100m to the region’s economy.

Director of the Tour de France at A.S.O., Christian Prudhomme, said: “I am delighted we are returning to Yorkshire where we saw the grandest ever Grand Départ for the Tour de France. It is clear the people of Yorkshire are passionate about cycling and we can’t wait to bring them this new race.”

Organisers say the new race will build on the success of the Grand Départ and is at the heart of Cycle Yorkshire, the legacy of the Tour de France.

Gary Verity, Chief Executive of WTY, said: “This is another huge milestone as we position the county as the cycling heartland of Europe.

“This is the first ever Tour de Yorkshire, I am confident it will become a huge annual event and something that will raise Yorkshire’s profile each year.”

The route of the new race will pass through parts of the county that missed out on the Tour de France.

Leader of Wakefield Council, Coun Peter Box said: “Last year’s Yorkshire Grand Départ of the Tour de France was hugely successful, both as a sporting event and in raising the profile of the region. I am very pleased that Welcome to Yorkshire is continuing its legacy by organising the Tour de Yorkshire race next summer. I am looking forward to working with Welcome to Yorkshire on the event.”

It will take place during the May Bank Holiday and cyclists will also be able to ride the same routes as the pro-riders on the final day as part of a sportive.

Bernard Hinault, five times Tour de France winner, said: “The Tour de France has had a sportive alongside it for many years and it’s a unique experience for amateur riders to ride at L’Etape; so to have this similar experience available at the Tour de Yorkshire will be magnifique and something all keen riders will want to be part of.”

The full route details will be revealed on January 21, a 100 days before the race starts.